Inle Lake Myanmar – Top Picks for Places to Eat

We were pleasantly surprised by the foodie scene in and around Inle Lake. Cooking classes and food tours abound whilst there are restaurants to cater to all tastes and budgets. Some are better than others and tourist traps definitely exist but overall there's a great range of choice.

What to taste

We have to start with the fact that we bizarrely found ourselves one night eating some of the most delicious dimsum we've tasted - influences from China, India and Thailand alongside traditional Burmese flavours help to ensure the consistent variety and quality of cuisines available. Whether you're looking for Western dishes or to try more local fare you'll be sure to find what you're looking for. Do make sure to try the dimsum if you get a chance!

When it comes to traditional cuisine in the area, as Inle Lake is based in Shan state, this has a strong influence on the local foods available. Shan noodles needless to say are by far the most popular and widely available Burmese dish and can be eaten at almost any restaurant or street stall you pass costing anything from USD1-2 to USD5-6 depending on the level of eatery you choose.

Then noodles can be sampled as either a salad or a soup, with the former featuring thicker rice noodles and the latter including flat and glutinous noodles. The flavours are strong in both varieties and include garlic, fermented beans, spring onions and turmeric.

Another popular snack in this region that can be found cheaply almost everywhere is sesame seed and sticky rice cake. Featuring purple sticky rice that's combined with the seeds and salt, ending up as a kind of doughy snack that's served wrapped in banana leaves to help preserve it.

Chain restaurants

Popular outlets for reasonably priced international and local food are the jointly owned One Owl Grill and Asiatico bars. These have an upmarket backpacker type vibe and offer a relaxed place to enjoy well-priced happy hour drinks and decent food.

The Asiatico has a roof terrace which offers brilliant views of the local area and it's a really nice place to spend a few hours. Staff are friendly and it's a good place to get chatting to fellow travellers although it may not be the most ‘authentic’ of local eateries.

Another similar chain is The Golden Kite which had a few outlets including a couple on the lake itself. It's fairly middle of the road but a good choice if you want a reliably tasty and mid priced local or western dish. Expect to pay USD5-7 per dish. Calling ahead or avoiding peak times is sensible as it tends to attract large groups, possibly a stop off for group tours visiting the area.

Fusion

For interesting fusion cuisine The French Touch is a good higher budget option that combines French and Burmese flavours in unique and tasty way. From salads and snacks through to full three course meals all the dishes we sampled were delicious and it's located in a peaceful, quiet street away from the main thoroughfares. It's another great place to sit and enjoy afternoon drinks out of the hot sun.

Food on the lake

One warning is not to expect too much when it comes to food on the lake itself! We’re sure the more upmarket tours must stop off at nicer places – we saw a few higher end looking establishments around the Indein Village area, but in general most restaurants on the lake looked very average. Mostly they are operating with limited facilities and offer a very small menu of mainly local dishes at mid range prices. They're not bad by any means but don't necessarily offer the best food or value for money that you can find in the wider area.